You Are a Tourist
by moonstones42
Summary: When a girl from Merlin's past arrives in Camelot in need of help, Merlin is sent to save her village from a mysterious illness. He doesn't understand why she dislikes him so strongly, but as they travel the truth is revealed, and the unveiled tragedy brings them closer together.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is pretty short in comparison to my other ones, but I've got a planned sequel (that involves Gawain; bonus!) so don't worry :) And the first few chapters are super short but they get longer as the story goes on so fear not dear readers! Unless you like short chapters (which I completely abhor)...if that is the case, then I suppose later on you can just take breaks in between?**

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Merlin grinned as he waited for Giaus to respond to his joke, his face falling a bit when the old man merely let out a forced chuckle in response. They were standing in the palace's throne room as farmers and workers alike from various lands surrounding Camelot took turns voicing their problems to the king, neither of them paying much attention or completely sure why their presence was required. Arthur and Gwen were seated side by side at the far side of the room, sneaking glances and hidden smiles whenever there was a lull in complaints.

Merlin was in the process of trying to come up with another humorous comment when the doors reopened and yet another peasant girl entered the room. It seemed Arthur hadn't noticed her entrance, as he and Gwen continued their hushed conversation with no sign of ceasing.

"I seek an audience with Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot," the girl declared in a strong voice, and all Merlin's thoughts of funny comments were forgotten as the entire hall fell silent. Merlin turned to see a tall young woman with light blue eyes and a single blonde braid that hung down her back standing in the middle of the room. She confidently stared straight ahead at the king, her face set in determination. There was something painfully familiar about her and Merlin was sure he'd seen the girl before, despite the fact that she claimed to hail from a villiage he'd never heard of.

"And why does a girl from Largon need my help?" Merlin heard Arthur ask once he pushed aside his attempt to figure out how he knew the girl and tuned back into the conversation. He noticed the king's voice was slightly flecked with annoyance, but Arthur's attention was now fully focused on the girl.

"My people are dying," she told him, and Gwen sat up a little straighter in her gilded chair. "A strange sickness struck the town a fortnight ago and already sixteen people have died, including the only man with any medical knowledge. I was sent to get help before our entire town is wiped out; please, sire, we need your help," she told him, her tone changing from informative to pleading as she concluded.

Arthur's face had softened as she'd spoken, and he assured her that he would send his best man to assist the people of Largon.

"Giaus will set off immediately," Arthur decreed, only to have the elderly man clear his throat and step forward.

"You must forgive me sire, but I have a number of other patients infected with a rare stomach sickness that I must attend to. I'm afraid I can't risk leaving them unattended for more than an hour at a time," he said apologetically. Arthur didn't appear daunted by Gaius' speech, and simply gestured to the physician's left.

"Then Merlin will go in your place," he declared, and Merlin instinctively straightened when the girl glanced over her shoulder at him. He realized her blue eyes were quickly scanning his form as if analyzing how well he'd do in a fight; he smiled at her, hoping her off-putting stare was simply a result of worry for her family.

"Are there no other physicians in Camelot?" the girl asked, turning back to Arthur, and Merlin blinked. He tried not to feel insulted as he watched the corner Arthur's lips twitch into a smile.

"He may not look like much, but I'm confident Merlin's entirely capable of helping rid Largon of this mysterious sickness," he said. The girl looked as if she strongly wanted to protest, but nodded after a moment of hesitation.

"Then it's settled; Merlin, you'll leave immediately," he said, signaling the end of the audience. Merlin nodded, then turned to hurry after the girl as she quickly exited the room.

"This way," Merlin called as she started off down the wrong hallway, and the girl paused. For a moment he thought she would simply continue down the corridor just to defy him, but she turned and followed him towards the apartment he and Gaius shared.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh look, another chapter on the same day! I figured that since they're so short I'd just post two at once until they become a bit lengthier; I can't stand short chapters so I don't want anyone to be nearly as frustrated as I would be :)**

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"What is your name, child?" Giaus asked the girl when he arrived a few minutes later, and Merlin let out a huff of annoyance when she smiled warmly at him. Merlin had spent the past three minutes attempting to engage in conversation with her, but she'd completely ignored him to the extent that he'd begun to wonder if he'd accidentally turned himself invisible.

"My name's Neela," she said, and Merlin's annoyance was instantly forgotten. Back in the throne room he hadn't been entirely sure if they'd met before, but now there was no doubting it. Merlin stared at Neela, his eyes huge, as he attempted to process this new information; how could she possibly be the same quiet, innocent girl he'd known as a child?

"Ah, what a lovely name. Well your horse is waiting outside, the servants having replenished all your provisions. I've just go to pack a few things for Merlin and then you'll be all ready to go," he said kindly, but Neela shifted uncomfortably on the wooden bench.

"Do you not have any other apprentices you could spare? Is there no one else who could accompany me?" she asked, and Gaius glanced hesitantly from Neela to Merlin and then back again.

"Merlin isn't exactly my apprentice, per se" he told her slowly, and Neela stared at him as if he'd just grown a second head.

"Does he even have any medical training at all?" she cried, her voice full of distain, and it took all of Merlin's self-control not to shout that he could easily cure her town with a few words in his sleep.

"Of course he does," Giaus assured her, coming to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Merlin has come to my rescue on many an occasion, and I would gladly put my life in his hands," the Gaius said, and Merlin's heart softened a bit at his words. But he immediately felt anger bubble up in the pit of his stomach once more when Neela shot him a skeptical glance, clearly doubting Gaius' high praise.

"Very well," she said, offering Gaius a wan smile. The old man nodded and moved across the room in search of more food to pack Merlin's nap-sack with. The moment Gaius was out of ear-shot, Merlin moved towards Neela, determined to pry some sort of explanation from the lips that appeared so soft and gentle but only twisted in disgust at the mention of his name. Neela glared at him as she leaped from the bench and turned in Gaius' direction.

"I think I'll wait out in the court-yard near the horses if that's all right with you," she called, then stalked from the room before the old man had a chance to respond.

"This will be an interesting trip for you, Merlin," Gaius remarked as he reentered the room with a slab of dried meat. "Seeing as Neela is so fond of you," he added with a smile, and Merlin let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand over his face. He wished he'd just cured Gaius' patients earlier on in the week and then pretended to contract some sort of horrible disease himself—all so that he wouldn't be forced to spend another moment with Neela.

"I just don't understand," he cried angrily, gesturing to the empty spot on the bench she'd just vacated. "I mean I'm sure I've seen her before, but I've hardly said more than five words to her in my entire life!"

"Just apologize," Gaius suggested as he handed Merlin his bag, and Merlin gaped at him; he knew Gaius was supposed to be pretty wise, but perhaps the old man was finally beginning to lose it.

"But I haven't done anything wrong," he said incredulously, his brain racing as he struggled to think of any way he could have offended the girl in the few minutes between when she'd entered the throne room and when it had become clear that she detested him. Gaius merely chuckled.

"It doesn't matter if you've actually made a blunder or not—as long as she believes you've wronged her, you might as well have committed whatever deed she blames you for," Gaius told him, and Merlin momentarily considered Gaius' suggestion.

"I'm not going to asked to be forgiven when I haven't done anything wrong," he decided, and Gaius shrugged.

"Very well then," he said as he led Merlin to the door. "Enjoy your trip," he added with a wink and a hardly suppressed grin, and Merlin shot him a glare before stomping out of the apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

When Merlin reached the courtyard only to find it nearly deserted, he knew right away that his day was only going to continue to deteriorate. He hefted his bag over his shoulder and marched over to the horse that had been left out for him, muttering to himself as he checked his tack and strapped down his bag.

"Excuse me; have you seen a tall blonde girl in a blue dress?" Merlin asked a guard as he passed by, and the young man paused. "She's got a really foul personality, if that helps," Merlin added bitterly, and the guard smiled.

"I was wondering why the stable boy brought out two horses and only one rider left," the man said, and Merlin felt his fists clench at his sides.

"You mean she's already gone?" he asked, and the guard nodded with a pitying look, although he still appeared to be holding back laughter. "Do you have any idea how to get to Largon?" Merlin asked desperately as he mounted his horse, anger flowing off of him in waves. How did this girl expect him to help her if she took off and left him without any idea of where her village was?

"Head east," the man said. "She took off pretty quickly, but you should be able to catch up with her soon if you hurry." Merlin nodded, shortening his reigns as he shifted slightly in his saddle.

"Thank you," he said, and the man gave him a little salute before continuing on his patrol. Merlin took a deep breath, trying in vain to alleviate at least a small fraction of his annoyance, and then took off towards the gates.

He rode at a canter for about fifteen minutes before he finally caught sight of Neela, her grey cape billowing behind her as she continued to race away from him. He thought about calling out to her but knew it wouldn't do any good; even if she did hear him, Merlin was sure she would make a point not to respond. Instead, he squeezed once with his thighs and his sensitive horse responded immediately by breaking into a gallop.

As he expected, Neela didn't slow down when it became undeniable that he'd sped up in an attempt to catch up wither. Merlin maneuvered so that he rode beside her and glanced over to see her staring straight ahead, her lips set in a grim line.

"You're going to exhaust yourself and your horse if you keep riding so fast," he huffed after a few minutes when she showed no sign of slowing her pace.

She glared over at him but pushed her hips slightly forward in her saddle and added light pressure to her reigns nonetheless, her horse slowing to a trot. Merlin did the same, finally able to take stock of his surroundings now that he didn't have to focus all of his attention on riding. They were approaching the boarder of Camelot's forests, and although the trees looked the same Merlin felt an odd tingling in his toes as they continued to ride.

Never one for silence, he desperately wanted to engage in some sort of conversation, but knew from experience that attempting to speak to Neela would only end in regret. Besides, what could he possibly talk to her about? He figured she hated him for something he must've done back when they were kids since there was no way he could've annoyed her earlier today. Bringing up their past was completely out of the question; it would only worsen her mood, he was sure.

Instead, Merlin hummed softly to himself and watched as the sun slowly made its descent. He thought he'd heard Gaius mutter something about Largon being three days away from Camelot as the physician had packed his bag, so he decided to follow behind Neela until she chose a place to make camp. After thirty more minutes of walking with no sign of stopping Merlin finally spoke up.

"We should probably make camp before it gets too dark," he called, watching as her shoulders tensed slightly at the sudden sound of his voice. Rather than let him know she'd heard, Neela simply steered her horse to the left and continued to ride. Merlin frowned but followed her, and was just about to call out again when they emerged into a small clearing and she came to a halt. Neela dismounted and Merlin followed suit, wincing upon impact when his legs stung and then tingled uncomfortably after riding for so long.

"I'll collect some wood for a fire," Merlin offered as she removed her saddle, and he headed off into the trees when Neela didn't respond. When he returned a few minutes later with an armful of wood, he saw that their two untacked horses stood tied to a tree a few yards away from Neela, who was seated on the ground.

"At least she doesn't hate my horse," Merlin muttered to himself as he stacked the wood a few feet away from her, and he thought he saw a faint a smile flicker across Neela's face before she turned away. He frowned but turned back to the twigs, and continued his work until he'd built a magnificent fire, lighting it with the flint Gaius had repeatedly instructed him to use instead of magic.

Merlin shuffled away from the fire and then sat back on his heels with a sigh. Neela crawled forward and lifted her hands to the flames, eagerly warming her fingers despite the lack of chill in the air. Merlin wondered why she was so cold at the very dawn of spring, but didn't say anything as she pulled her cloak closer around her shoulders.

After a while he honestly started to wonder if it was possible to go mad from not hearing the voice of another human being for so long; Merlin was so desperate for conversation he found himself wishing she'd insult him if only to give him something to respond to.

"Why do you hate me so much?" he blurted suddenly, and she turned towards him with a furious glare. Her thick braid swung quite close to his face as she did so, and Merlin couldn't help but think she wouldn't hesitate to use it as a weapon if he got too annoying.

He knew there was something else he'd wanted to say to her, but words refused to escape his mouth as he got his first full look at Neela; all day she'd been turned away from him or partially concealed by the hood of her cloak, and now that he could actually see her face his brain had come to a screeching halt. Her eyes were terrifyingly beautiful as they bored into his, and Merlin found he couldn't tear his gaze away from the way the dancing flames reflected in the pools of clear blue.

Merlin forgot his question entirely or why he'd asked it as he continued to stare at her; he was only aware of the fact that Neela had inexplicably reappeared in his life, and was now even more beautiful than he remembered or was really prepared for. Her clear skin seemed to glow but Merlin was sure it wasn't just from the firelight, and he wondered if it would be as soft and warm to the touch as it looked from his perspective. Of course he knew that the moment he made a move as if he was even considering touching her, she'd break his hand without hesitation.

"If you had even a drop of humanity you wouldn't have to ask," she hissed, her lips curling back as her nose scrunched up in a way that was full of rage yet still strangely enticing. Merlin frowned at her as he tried to make sense of his thoughts, and his mind took far longer than it should have to comprehend her words.

"What do you mean?" he asked in a slightly dazed tone, but Neela had already turned away by the time he'd managed to speak. She was now laying down on the grass wither back facing him and her cape wrapped tightly around her in a way that screamed "don't talk to me if you value your life". Merlin sighed and lay back on the ground, folding his arms behind his head and staring up at the sky.

He could just make out the stars despite the light and smoke of the fire obstructing his view, and he began tracing patterns in his mind, connecting the little white dots just as he and Will had as kids. He smiled as he recalled the stories they'd associated with shapes of stars that looked like bears, lions, turnips, anything really. A tear unexpectedly slid from the corner his eye as he thought of Will, his best and oldest friend. Merlin reached up and wiped away the moisture, turning on his side to watch the steady rise and fall of Neela's side as she slept.

"I hope you're happy up there, Will," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut and willing himself to drift off to sleep so he could once again escape to that perfect land of dreams. He wanted to go to the place where he didn't have to hide his magic; where he pretended to hate the way his mother made him help her with her garden on Sundays; where Will was still alive to tease him about the quiet blonde girl he was infatuated with. Merlin wanted to go back home, and he'd discovered long ago that dreams were the only way that could ever be possible again.


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin awoke to the smell of cooking meat, licking his lips in anticipation before he was even fully aware of the fact that he wasn't in his bed back in Camelot. He slowly sat up and then stretched his arms above his head with a groan as he tried to alleviate the soreness that came along with sleeping on the ground. He blinked open his eyes to see Neela squatting beside the small fire slowly rotating a piece of meat on a twig. Merlin watched the food with longing, but eventually reached into his backpack for his own food.

He bit down into an apple as he watched Neela eat, trying with no avail to block out the delicious scent of her breakfast. He gratefully stood and headed over to the horses once she finished eating, the two of them tacking their mounts before climbing into the saddles to begin another day of riding.

Merlin thought about the previous night as they rode, trying to figure out exactly what had happened. Neela had said something about how he shouldn't have had to ask what he'd done wrong; according to her, whatever misstep he'd made was so momentous, there was no way he couldn't have known his mistake. Clearly she didn't know Merlin very well.

The day passed slowly as Merlin and Neela trekked on, the scenery gradually changing from tall leafy trees to tall leafy trees with a few flowered ones here and there. A path through the foliage emerged and then faded, and at one point they rode along a grassy cliff that overlooked a gorgeous green valley. Snow-capped mountains surrounded the crystal clear lake below on all sides, and Merlin found his hands subconsciously tugging on his reigns as he pulled his horse to a stop to marvel the scenery.

He'd honestly never seen anything so beautiful, and wanted to stay just a little while longer to take it all in, but the top of Neela's head was already beginning to disappear as she rode on. He sighed and then nudged his horse into a trot until he caught up to her once more.

Merlin spent the rest of the day switching between admiring the surrounding nature and studying the back of Neela's head when she removed her hood late in the afternoon. Every tree was surrounded by a cluster of brightly flowering bushes, and her hair was a perfect mixture of honey-blonde streaks interwoven with locks the color of fresh hay. Every flower blossomed and the scent was intoxicating, and Merlin imagined how her hair would look flowing around her shoulders with a halo of fragrant flora circling her head.

Merlin was sure he was descending into madness, and was thankful when the sun finally bordered on the horizon and Neela lead them to an area where the trees grew farther apart. They moved through the same actions they'd preformed the day before as the sun set, and eventually the two of them reclined against separate trees near the fire. Neela sat with her arms crossed over her chest across from him and pointedly stared into the flames. He cleared his throat but she didn't look up, and in any other situation Merlin simply would have accepted her clear decision not to talk to him. But he was bored and curious and frustrated and infatuated—a dangerous combination of emotions if ever there was one.

"What did I do to you?" he asked, and the look she sent him would have sent a wolf scurrying away with its tail between its legs. "And don't avoid the question this time," he added with a surge of confidence, his eyes widening in surprise when she suddenly stood and stalked around the fire towards him. She sat just before him on the ground and regarded him the same way a wolf might stare down its prey.

"You really don't have any idea, do you?" she asked with a sarcastic sneer, and Merlin did his best not to lose his temper as he took a deep breath.

"No, I don't," he told her honestly, and her face softened for a moment before she regained her furious composure.

"You," she hissed, leaning forward until he could clearly make out each of her long blonde eyelashes, "killed my family." Merlin jerked backwards at her words, slamming his head against the tree and letting out a yelp of pain.

"What on earth are you talking about?" he cried, clutching his hand to his head and blinking away black spots. He ground his teeth as he waited for her to respond, wishing he could ignore the pang in his chest when he saw Neela's eyes water with angry tears.

"You're the reason they're dead: Ronlick, Jacqueline, Sarriah, even my parents; all murdered because of you," she told him, her voice cracking and her entire body seeming to quake with rage. He had the sudden urge to lean forward and take her hands, but quickly dismissed the idea and instead merely hoped she could see the sincerity written across his face.

"Neela, I'm sorry for your loss but I really don't know what you're talking about. Aren't we on our way to save your family now? In Largon?" he asked gently, and she glared up at him.

"The people of Largon took me in and have treated me like their own daughter. But no one could replace my real family, my own flesh and blood. The people you killed," she spat, her lips twisted savagely.

"Why do you keep saying I killed them?" Merlin cried, no longer able to control his frustration as he leaned back and threw his arms into the air.

"Because you did," she shouted, leaping to her feet to stand over him. The fire lit her from behind as she glared down at him like some dark angel, her blonde hair glowing and her eyes alight with fury. "When you came back to Ealdor two years ago to rid the village of bandits and brought the king with you, you used magic," she said, and Merlin gaped up at her.

He knew he should just deny Neela's accusation and tell her the same overused lie about how he didn't know anything about magic; but he had the feeling he'd never make it back to Camelot in one piece if he didn't admit his abilities to Neela. Merlin nodded in response, and she smiled grimly.

"And then you let your friend Will take the blame, your secret dying with him," she said, and Merlin took a deep breath but nodded once more. He waited for Neela to continue, but she frowned down at him when he glanced up at her expectantly.

"Surely you know what happened next," she said mockingly, but when Merlin merely shook his head her frown deepened. Neela slowly returned to the ground, her face now a mask of confusion rather than fury. She stared at the ground before her, fingering the hem of her cloak, and didn't speak for some time. Finally, wondering if she was having some sort of mental breakdown, Merlin gently whispered her name.

"Neela?" he asked in a concerned tone, and she jumped slightly as if she'd forgotten he was there.

"No one ever told you," she whispered, and he frowned as she looked up at him with sorrow and pitty, all anger gone from her expression. Merlin felt a foreboding feeling twist in his stomach, and he wondered if perhaps he should've just endured Neela's hateful silence instead of prying for information. But now that he'd started asking questions, Merlin felt as if it was imperative that he got a real answer.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've had finals this week so I haven't been able to work on this story :/ Hopefully my absence has built up a ton of suspense and now you're all sitting on the edge of your chairs with bated breath to see what happens next :)**

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"Told me what?" Merlin asked warily, and Neela sighed deeply.

"After you and your Camelot buddies left Ealdor, Will's magic was all the village could talk about," she began, and Merlin felt a foreboding feeling begin to build up in his stomach; he was sure he knew where this was going, and he didn't like it at all. "Ealdor became famous for being the town magic had saved, that magic had blessed. News spread to other lands, and a rumor got around that the witch hunter was on his way in search of any other gifted people living in Ealdor. My parents were terrified and made plans for me to leave the village as soon as possible," she said, and Merlin immediately straightened.

"Wait, why were your parents afraid for you?" he asked, and she frowned at him as if it was the most ridiculous question she'd ever been asked. Merlin's head reeled and his heart rate spiked as he suddenly realized what she meant, and years of unexplained observations and occurrences suddenly fell into place.

"You can do magic?" he cried incredulously, and she nodded slowly in the same way Merlin had when he'd tried to explain to the king why he couldn't fly after turning Arthur into a simpleton.

"But why didn't you…you just stayed locked up in that room all day when you could've been out experimenting with Will and I," he said, and she snorted. Merlin knew it was more than a little ridiculous, but he'd often wondered as a kid about just how much more enjoyable his adventures with Will would have been with Neela by their side.

Sure he and Will had always had a fantastic time, but one of his fantasies from a young age had involved him rescuing Neela from her second-story room so they could gallivant through the forest together, with her marveling at his magic the same way Will always had. The knowledge that they could've spent years doing magic together—that this beautiful girl who'd been living right alongside him had also been gifted all along and he'd never known—hurt him more than Merlin was willing to admit.

"And have the whole town know about my magic? Luckily for me my parents realized that being so open about what some considered to be evil would only cause more trouble in the end. Sadly for them, all their hard work was in vain due to your carelessness," she growled, and Merlin flinched. He still didn't really see how this made him responsible for her family's death, but Merlin was beginning to realize that having Neela blame him for her loss was just as bad as actually being at fault; perhaps Gaius held more wisdom than Merlin gave him credit for.

"I managed to escape just in time, but that monstrous man ransacked the entire town in search of me or anyone else magical. When he found all the books of spells and enchantments hidden beneath the floorboards of my room, he tortured my siblings in an effort to draw me back to Ealdor," she whispered.

"When I didn't return, he slaughtered my entire family youngest to eldest, making my father watch as he slit the throats of his wife and children." Neela was crying now, clutching her cloak to her chest as she recalled the traumatic events of not too long ago—events she blamed on Merlin. He felt rage bubbling in the pit of his stomach at the very thought of what this man had done to her and countless others. It wasn't Neela's fault she'd been gifted with magic; she hadn't chosen her fate, and there was no reason why her family should have been so cruelly punished for something no one had the power to control.

"And do you want to know the worst part?" she asked as she looked up at him, the pain in her eyes sending Merlin's skin crawling. "I only heard about all of it two months later, when it was already too late to turn myself in; I would have gladly returned and given up my life had I known of the witch hunter's threats. Instead, I'd lived happily thinking my family was perfectly fine without me, when in actuality they'd been dead and buried for weeks," she said, her voice cracking on the last word as she broke down into sobs. She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook violently, and Merlin wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and promise that everything would be alright. But he had a feeling Neela wasn't in the mood for lies, and decided to simply wait for her to finish instead.

"I would've taken the credit for saving Ealdor if I'd known what would happen otherwise," he said after a few minutes, and Neela sniffed and wiped her eyes but kept her face hidden. "I would have gone and found the witch hunter myself, called him out as the villain he was, and assured him that if he wanted to hurt anyone for associating with magic he'd have to go through me first," Merlin said vehemently, and Neela slowly lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes quickly flitted across his face as if she was searching for any signs of insincerity. Knowing she would find none, Merlin leaned forward and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Neela, I would give my life if it meant I could undo all the pain and suffering my actions have caused you," he whispered earnestly, and her lips tugged downwards as tears began to flow from her eyes again.

"It wasn't your fault," she choked out, shaking her head when he opened his mouth to protest. "You never meant to hurt me or anyone else; I shouldn't have blamed you," she added, and Merlin knew this was the closest thing to an apology he was ever going to get.

"I still blame myself," he confessed, and she frowned at him.

"You aren't the person I thought you were," she said after a few more minutes of studying his face, and Merlin shrugged slightly.

"Neither are you," he told her, and she looked away from him. "Losing the only people you've ever really known can change a person," she said quietly, and her voice was so full of agony Merlin feared he'd sent her into a permanent state of depression. He wracked his brains for something else to talk about, something to get her mind off of her loss.

"So who exactly did you think I was, then?" he asked, and she gave a small shrug.

"A heartless idiot who thought only of himself," she said, and Merlin flinched. Then again, what else could she have thought of him if she'd been convinced he'd been perfectly content with the slaughter of his fellow villagers as a result of his own actions?

"At least you got one thing right; I've got it on good confidence that I am in fact an idiot," he said, his heart lifting when he caught sight of Neela's lips quirking upwards.

"I remember you and Will were always pulling the most ridiculous pranks, the two of you constantly getting into trouble," she said, her smile widening as she gazed off into the trees. "I would watch you from my window, and Mum would always get upset whenever I ignored my studies to watch you and Will terrorize our neighbors," she said, and Merlin laughed.

"We were definitely a hand-full," he agreed, and Neela snorted.

"That's an understatement if I ever heard one," she said incredulously, and Merlin grinned.

"We had to find some way of keeping ourselves entertained," he said in mock defense, but Neela merely rolled her eyes.

"Excuses, excuses," she said with a smile, her blue eyes twinkling. She no longer looked as if she wanted to throw herself—or him for that matter— into the fire, and Merlin hoped her new-found jovial manner was here to stay.

Now that they'd more or less resolved the issue of her despising him, it was suddenly apparent to Merlin that he quite enjoyed Neela's company. His past infatuation with her had been based on her looks alone, and the very sight of her had always been able to send his heart fluttering back in Ealdor. But now that he was actually getting to know Neela, Merlin was sure the pull that drew him towards her was more than just superficial.

"We should probably get some rest," Merlin said after a moment of staring absently at her face, and she nodded.

"Good night," she told him before curling up on the ground, and Merlin responded with a hope for good dreams. He then leaned back against the tree he'd been seated against and closed his eyes, letting out a contended sigh as he let visions of crystal clear lakes, crowns of flowers, and the loose blonde tresses of a giggling young girl fill his head.

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**A/N: So now that summer's here hopefully my updates will be more regular (but I'm going off to camp soon and I don't know how much writing time I'll have so no gauntness). But I've just written the next chapter so it'll be up tomorrow! **


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin awoke to the sound of a retching cough, and blearily sat up as he looked around for the source of the painful sound. Neela kneeled a few feet away from him, clutching her stomach with one hand while she used her other hand to support herself as she vomited into a bush.

"Are you alright?" he asked, now completely alert as he scrambled up from his seat to squat beside her. Neela looked up at him, her face ashen in color and her eyes shadowed by dark circles, and he instinctively reeled back. She opened her mouth as if to respond but only let out another couch, her shoulders shaking and her face twisting in pain.

"Here, just sit down and try to relax," he said in a panicked tone, taking her by the shoulders and leading her back to the dwindling fire. She was shivering despite the relative warmth of the early morning, and he quickly shrugged off his jacked and wrapped it around her. Merlin rekindled the flame with a snap of his fingers and then turned back to Neela, desperately wracking his brain for a solution to her sudden illness.

Neela was clearly inflicted with whatever strange sickness had gripped her town, but despite Gaius's confidence in his abilities Merlin really wasn't sure how to cure her. Neela was wheezing now, her eyes wide in fear as she clutched her chest and fought for breath.

"It's alright, just stay calm," he told her, anything but calm himself. Suddenly remembering that he had, of course, not come entirely unprepared, Merlin leapt up and rummaged in his bag. He pushed past a kit of herbs and a manual for administering them in favor of the book of magical medicine he'd slipped into the sack when the physician hadn't been looking. He flipped through the worn pages, desperately searching for a spell that would alleviate Neela's symptoms.

He heard her let out a startled whimper and spun around to see Neela pull her hand away from her mouth, her palm and lips smeared with blood. He forced himself not to let his fear show, attempting a supportive smile that he was sure came across more like a grimace than anything else. Her health was rapidly failing, Merlin realized with a jolt, and if it continued to deteriorate…he refused to allow himself to entertain that possibility.

"There has to be something here," he muttered, his hands beginning to shake as he neared the end of the tome without finding a single spell that could save the girl he was sure was dying. Merlin let out a shout as he threw the infuriatingly unhelpful book into the forest, his shoulders heaving as he buried his face in his hands. Merlin hadn't been able to save her family, and now he couldn't save her; what use was having magic if all that ever resulted from his abilities was cruel, painful death?

Now desperate for any remedy, Merlin picked up Gaius' medical journal and rapidly flipped through the pages, letting out a cry of elation as he scanned the last page. The words were written in the same format as the other medical instructions, and to the untrained eye would have just seemed like another list of ingredients and materials. But Merlin immediately recognized it as a spell, his eyes welling with tears as he realized he could in fact rescue Neela—and her entire village—with the help of these words.

Merlin hurried to her side, lifting the back of her head and hovering his hand just above her breast bone. Neela let out a sound of startled surprise at his sudden movement, but when she caught sight of the elation on Merlin's face she immediately relaxed. He chanted the words on the page, his voice growing stronger with each word, and watched with wide eyes as his hand began to glow.

Merlin gasped as Neela's chin tilted upwards and her mouth opened wide, a glowing green orb rising from her throat to levitate over her face. A heartbeat later it was gone, flitting through the trees as it flew towards the sun. Merlin stared after it for a moment, but a relieved sigh from Neela brought his gaze back to her.

Her face was back to its normal slightly tanned color and the dark circles had faded from beneath her eyes, and Merlin couldn't help but grin as he took in the sight of the healthy, energetic-looking girl.

"I guess it's a good thing Gaius sent you after all," she joked, her voice just as strong as it had been before, and he let out a shaking laugh. Neela may have returned to a state of perfect health with the expulsion of the green orb, but Merlin's breath was short and his heart still pounded fiercely in his chest.

"Thank you for saving me," she added sincerely, and Merlin felt his cheeks warm as he realized he was still supporting her head and his hand now rested on her stomach. He tried his best not to glance down at her lips, but keeping his gaze focused on those clear blue eyes wasn't any better of an option—either way he was in danger of acting on the urge to feel her mouth against his.

Merlin was glad he was now in her favor, and didn't want to push his luck by assuming there could ever be anything romantic between them. He'd spent his entire life admiring her from a distance, Merlin reminded himself—surely continuing the same practice wouldn't be too hard now. Of course he knew, as he stared down at her and she looked expectantly back up at him, that getting to know Neela had only made his feelings stronger so far and that pattern wasn't likely to change.

"Any time," he said rather breathlessly, removing his hands as Neela pushed herself up into a seated position.

"So, any ideas about what that was?" she asked, jerking her head in the direction the green orb had flown off in as she unwound her blonde braid.

"Not a clue," Merlin admitted, trying his hardest not to get distracted as Neela's long hair cascaded around her shoulders. "But I do know how to stop the illness," he added, lifting the medical journal as he did.

"Let's go then," she cried, leaping from the ground before taking Merlin by the wrists and pulling him up as well. "The sooner we get to Largon, the faster we can save the villagers. There's only a little more than a day's ride left," she said, and Merlin only comprehended a few of her words as he watched the way her golden hair seemed to shimmer in the mid-morning light.

"Come on," she repeated, tossing him her bag before shouldering her own and mounting her horse. "We can eat on the way!"

"Alright, I'm coming," Merlin said, trying to sound annoyed but unable to keep a grin from spreading across his face. Neela was safe, and he was equipped with a spell that would cure her people; all was well. But even as he took a moment to appreciate the warm weather and Neela's cheery disposition, Merlin still felt as if something wasn't quite right. Each time he glanced over his shoulder to the east, where the green orb had flown, a foreboding feeling stirred in his stomach that made him want to race west as fast as possible.

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**A/N: Ooo spooky ending, right? _Orange_ you glad Neela's ok? (sorry, it's just ever since I was little I've applied the whole '_orange_ you glad I didn't say banana" joke to every aspect of my life) **

**Anyway, next chapter: Merlin and Neela finally get to Largon and start (trying) to heal people...**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So I'm kind of ashamed of how long it's taken me to update this story...but better late than never right? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore writing it. But being a procrastinator is (kind of) effective when you've got set deadlines, but for things like this it means you've actually got to have some sort of _motivation_ to write! So what's my motivation? You guys! It finally occurred to me that if I get annoyed when an author doesn't update regularly, you guys were probably a _little_ peeved with my long absence...but I'm back now! Anyway, enjoy the story :)**

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Merlin shifted in his saddle, trying in vain to find a position that didn't strain his already sore muscles as he and Neela made their way down a dirt path shaded by a thick canopy of leaves. Neela smiled as he repositioned his feet in the stirrups, and Merlin frowned as she quirked an eye brown in her direction.

"Leg's fallen asleep," he muttered, and she nodded, a slightly mocking smile still present on her lips.

"What?" he asked self-consciously, and she shrugged.

"I suppose in Camelot you don't get as much time in the saddle, that's all," she said, and he maneuvered around a bush before steering his horse so that he walked beside her again.

"If not spending fourteen straight hours non-stop on a horse for three days is 'not much', then I suppose you're correct," he huffed, and she laughed.

"I think the city's just made you soft," Neela said, and Merlin sat up a bit straighter, shortening his reigns.

"Is that a challenge?" he asked with a grin, and Neela flashed him a smile.

"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to see just how soft Camelot has made you after we save everyone in Largon," she promised, and Merlin felt his heart soar as he realized the full implication of her answer; he could hardly contain his elation that Neela still wanted to spend time with him even after they'd finished their mission.

But despite his excitement, Merlin forced himself to concentrate on the issue at hand, as the mention of Largon triggered the question he'd intended to ask Neela before he'd gotten distracted by the pins and needles in his leg.

"Are you sure you've never seen anything like that green orb before?" Merlin asked, more than willing to acknowledge that Neela's magical knowledge was far superior to his own. He felt a pang of disappointment when he saw her shoulders sag slightly.

"Not that I can remember. I mean I'm sure if I'd seen something like that I wouldn't forget it," she said after a long pause, and for all her carefree talk just a moment ago Merlin could clearly see that Neela felt as if she was responsible for what was happening to the people of Largon. She felt as if it was her responsibility to save them and ensure their protection, and her failure to know each and every detail weighed heavily on her shoulders.

"It's alright if you don't know, Neela," he assured her, wishing there was something else he could do or say to console her; the last thing he'd wanted to do was to make her feel as if she was letting down the people who depended on her.

"I just…there's something weird about this, something I can't place," she said, frowning down at her hands, and Merlin maneuvered to try and get a better look at her face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and when she looked up at him he felt that odd foreboding feeling return to his gut.

"Don't you think it's unusual that whoever did this would try so hard to make it seem as if the sickness was a natural ailment? I mean why not use the fact that it's magical to further terrorize people? If your purpose is to scare people, why not make the illness appear unbeatable to dispel all hope?"

Merlin paused, considering her words before answering. She was right, of course—it was terribly strange that someone would go through the trouble of concealing the magical nature of the sickness. It wasn't as if the perpetrator could easily be identified, so there really was no need to be so secretive about the matter.

"Perhaps their goal isn't to scare people, then," Merlin said after a long silence, and Neela frowned over at him, her blonde brow creased in confusion.

"Then why else spread an illness? People don't do things without reason—especially those with magic," she said, and although he was sure she was waiting patiently for an answer Merlin's mind was distracted by the issue that'd suddenly popped into his head.

"How on earth are we going to heal them in the first place? We can't possibly use magic in front of them," Merlin cried, his voice taking on an edge of panic as it finally dawned on him how impossible the task they were attempting to take on really was.

"Merlin, calm down," Neela cried, her voice incredulous, and he felt his face flush bright red as he got the feeling he'd done something incredibly stupid; normally he wouldn't mind feeling as if he'd done something ridiculous, but there was something about Neela that made him desperate for her to think of him as infallibly intelligent.

"What's the problem?" she asked, and it was Merlin's turn to stare at her in disbelief; how could she not see that their magical cure for the illness only created a whole new wealth of problems? Did she plan on revealing their magical abilities to all of Largon? "I just assumed we'd use Glimmer," she added, and Merlin frowned in confusion.

"Glimmer?" Was she suggesting they just shine light in the patients' eyes? Despite his faith in Neela's knowledge Merlin seriously doubted that'd be very effective, what with the chanting required for the spell.

"Yes, of course Glimmer! Have you never heard of it?" she asked, sounding shocked, and Merlin could only stare at her blankly.

"It was one of the first magical skills I learned, so I'd just assumed everyone with magic was familiar with it," she said apologetically, and Merlin found himself wishing he'd had a proper education in magic as Neela clearly had.

"Well, seeing as I learned all I know from trial and error, I think it would be a good idea for you to explain exactly what Glimmer is," he said, giving up on the idea of ever being able to impress Neela with his intelligence.

"Oh, right. Well in essence it's merely a method of illusion, quite easily done and even more manageable with two people. In this case, I suppose I'll preform the Glimmer while you extract the orb; you needn't worry about anything other than the chanting. I'll simply tell the patient exactly what I'd like them to think you're going to do—I'll probably say you're going to administer some sort of potion. Whatever you do or say, within reason of course, they'll still be under the impression that you've merely giving them a potion. With the use of Glimmer, I can decide their perception of reality."

"So it's a form of mind control," Merlin said seriously under the pretense clarification, although he didn't attempt to hide the distain from his voice; the idea of changing another person's world view to achieve your own ends deeply disturbed him.

"Well you don't have to make it sound so sinister," Neela joked, although her smile faltered when Merlin's expression didn't brighten in response. "We're using it to cure people, Merlin—it's not like we're hurting them," she reminded him, but he couldn't bring himself to see the use of Glimmer as a wholeheartedly benign practice, no matter the circumstance. Perhaps it was merely due to the fact that Merlin himself had had his mind controlled by someone with malicious intent in the past, and had nearly murdered the king on numerous occasions because of it.

"We may be using it with good intentions, but if it's really such a simple thing to master who's to say there aren't people out there right now abusing it for their own selfish reasons?" he asked, and Neela paused before answering.

"I suppose we'll just have to consider it the same way we consider everything else in this world. If a person tries hard enough, anything can be used for evil. But if a person has a good heart, anything can be used for good," she said simply, and even if he'd tried Merlin couldn't have suppressed the smile that spread across his face at her words.

Despite all that had happened to her, all the injustice and pain she'd been forced to suffer through, Neela still saw the world as a place full of possibility, where good things could indeed happen to good people. Merlin wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve a traveling companion like Neela, but he'd never been as thankful of anything as he was that fate had brought them together.

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**A/N: So last chapter's ending was rather sinister, and this one's pretty sappy; I was hoping they'd balance each other out :) Next chapter they actually get to Largon, I promise :) And, because I feel like a terrible person, I'm going to force myself to have it up by the end of this week!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So, lucky for you, I've reached that stage in the school year where I resort to writing as a form of procrastination! I'm _so sorry _for my incredibly long absence, but I know that now that my summer adventures are over I'll definitely be diving into the world of Merlin and Neela to distract myself from how incredibly overwhelming everything in my life is! So basically my stress+procrastination= more frequent chapters! Silver lining!**

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They'd been traveling for a few hours, the sun now high overhead, when Neela suddenly sat up straighter in her saddle, her shoulders tensing noticeably beneath her grey cloak.

"We're nearly there," he heard her said quietly in a wavering voice, and Merlin couldn't begin to imagine what kind of thoughts must've been racing through her mind. When she'd left her village her people were dying of an illness that seemed to manifest shockingly quickly, and now their only hope for salvation had arrived six days later. He found himself silently praying to whoever would listen that the majority of Largon had managed to hold out during Neela's absence; no matter how strong she was, he didn't think she could manage the pain of losing her new family along with her entire adopted village.

They rode on for a few minutes before the trees gave way to a clearing, a town surrounded by a wooden fence clearly visible in the distance. He maneuvered to ride beside Neela, who stared straight ahead with her face completely blank but her grip on her reins so tight her knuckles shone white. He had just made up his mind to reach out and touch her shoulder or at least make some attempt to comfort her when he caught sight of a woman running towards them down the road that led from the village.

Merlin and Neela sped to a trot and rode to meet the woman, then came to a halt when she reached them, her hair dark hair falling out of its messy braid and her breath coming in heavy pants.

"Please—turn back, find another route. This town has been gripped by a terrible sickness—you'll surely be infected unless you give this place a wide berth!" Merlin glanced over at Neela to see her blank expression faltering, her eyes filled with fear and anguish, and he wondered if she knew this woman who was pleading with them to leave her to die and save their own lives.

"It's alright, Margaret, we've come to help; I've brought a physician from Camelot who knows how to cure the sickness," Neela said, and the woman turned to her, recognition flashing across her face before she fell to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes while a smile enveloped her entire face.

"Dear God, our Lord has not forsaken us after all!" she cried, taking the muzzle of Neela's horse and planting a kiss on his snout. "Come, I will show you to the sickest people," she said after a few more moments of praising her good fortune, rising from the ground and leading them down the road.

Merlin followed along beside the woman, Margaret, and Neela. He had helped Gias save many a life and had seen many thankful parents and spouses, but the emotion of Margaret's reaction to their arrival affected Merlin much more strongly than he'd expected. She hadn't questioned his experience because of his youth, or ask how exactly he planned to cure her people as he'd feared—all she cared about was that her friends and family would soon be released from the grip of this terrible, mysterious illness.

They entered the gate and Merlin quickly glanced aroundthe clearing occupied by a large group of huts, a single road running down two lines of buildings with plots of land grazed by sheep or lined with crops fanning out behind the structures. The entire village seemed to be deserted, the doors tightly closed and the curtains drawn over every window. Neela dismounted as Margaret came to a halt before a particularly large building, and Merlin followed suit, sure to take his medicine bag with him as they followed Margaret inside.

"This is where we've kept the sickest people," the woman whispered, and Merlin blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the dark before he glanced around the large open space lined with beds and, farther down the hall, piles of hay with blankets draped over them. "You're family's in a different building," she added gently to Neela, and he watched as Neela visibly relaxed at her words. She almost immediately seemed more focused as she was finally able to dismiss the possibility of her adopted family having perished from the disease.

"Thank you for all you've done, Margaret," Neela told her, politely letting her know her services were no long needed, and the woman's brow creased in a slight frown.

"Do you not need any help administering a cure? There are a few other men and women who've been preparing food and taking care of the ill for the past few days; I'm sure they could spare some time to assist you," she said, but Neela shook her head and placed a hand on Margaret's arm.

"You've done so much already, Margaret; Merlin and I can take it from here," she said, her speech slow and her voice ringing with authority. Merlin caught sight of a golden glow in Neela's eyes, and he felt a surge of annoyance as Margaret hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"You're right; I'll be outside if you need me," Margaret told them before heading out the door, her response to Neela's use of Glimmer absolutely normal.

"Why did you do that?" Merlin hissed as he followed Neela deeper into the room, and she turned to walk backwards, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Would you rather have me attempt to preform Glimmer on her and each patient simultaneously for however long it takes for us to cure all these people?" she asked, but despite the logic in her statement and everything she'd said during their journey, the idea of using Glimmer still didn't sit right with Merlin.

"I'd rather you not use it at all," he muttered, and Neela shrugged as they approached the first bed and Merlin removed Giaus' book from his bag.

"Sometimes life denies us the things we want most," Neela said softly, and Merlin wondered if they were still talking about the same thing as she stared sadly at nothing in particular. "Shall we begin?" she asked a few seconds later, blinking out of her revere and kneeling beside the young boy on the bed before her.

"Ready when you are," Merlin said, and Neela placed her hand on the boy's arm as Merlin reached down and pressed his palm against his chest. The boy's breaths came in wheezing gasps and he looked to be totally unconscious, his skin deathly white. Merlin felt bile rise in his throat when he noticed the wet stickiness beneath his fingers that left the boy's shirt stained scarlet; this child was already well into the most frightening stage of the disease, and Merlin desperately hoped they hadn't arrived too late to save the people of Largon.

Merlin began to chant the words on the page before him, and he was vaguely aware of Neela's assertive voice as she spoke gentle words to the boy, describing how Merlin was administering a potion and he needed to be sure to drink it all so he'd get better as soon as possible. Once he reached the last word on the page a green orb emerged from the boy's mouth just as it had when he'd cured Neela, and only a few moments later the boy's cheeks flushed with color and his dark eyes fluttered open.

"Who are you?" he asked once he was fully aware of his surroundings, frowning up at Merlin before glancing over to Neela. His face brightened at the sight of her, and he tried to sit up as he clearly recognized Neela but his arms trembled slightly beneath his weight.

"It's alright, Hale, he's a friend of mine. You've been pretty sick lately, and I brought him here all the way from Camelot to make you better," she told him, and the boy turned to gape at Merlin, his eyes wide with awe.

"You're from Camelot? Have you ever seen the King?" he whispered, as if he thought if he spoke too loudly Merlin might disappear like a dream. Merlin smiled at him and was about to answer, eager to please this boy who'd been through so much, when Neela interrupted.

"Hale, Margaret will be here in a little while to clean you up," she said clearly as she rested her hand on his arm and her eyes flashed gold, "but in the meantime I need you to take a little nap." Hale nodded and leaned back against the pillow without protest; a few seconds later Hale was fast asleep, and showed no sign of waking anytime soon.

"You've really got to stop doing that," Merlin told her, but no matter how much her use of Glimmer bothered him he couldn't muster anything harsher than a teasing tone. They'd just saved a little boy from a fatal illness, and he was sure nothing Neela said or did could put him in a foul mood ever again. They could do this—together, they could save Largon, and it seemed as if the second tragedy to strike Neela in her relatively short life might have a happy ending after all. He grinned widely at her, and Neela smiled back, her spirits clearly high as well, before they moved on to the next patient to save another life.

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**A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter, because I really enjoyed writing it- I'm so happy to be writing this again :D please let me know what you thought by leaving a lovely review :) Because I really want to hear from you guys!**

**On an unrelated note, did you guys see the season 5 premire? THIS SHOW IS SO AMAZING AND IT JUST GETS BETTER EVERY SEASON! If you haven't seen it yet have no fear, there won't be any spoilers here whatsoever seeing as this takes place sometime during season three I guess. But you are seriously missing out on some quality TV!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So. I could talk about how terribly sorry I am about my insanely long absence. Or I could rant about how I'm really upset that the show's over but that the finale was everything I could have wanted. But you didn't come here for that. You came here to continue the tale of Merlin and Neela! So enjoy! **

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Merlin pushed back his shirtsleeves and removed his neck scarf to dab at the dampness on his forehead as he and Neela made their way across a small field of bored-looking sheep. They'd spent the last four hours curing every ailed person of Largon, and after moving from stuffy barn to cottage to tavern, the afternoon heat wasn't doing much to help Merlin's headache. However, the elation he felt after having successfully saved each remaining villager was strong enough to overpower the throb in his forehead.

"I can't believe we actually did it," Neela told him as they made their way back towards the main road. She turned to give him a tired yet excited smile, and Merlin immediately grinned back. Her cheeks were flushed bright red and blonde wisps of hair that had escaped her quickly-crafted braid danced around her face, and Merlin had never seen anything more beautiful.

The jar he carried gave a sudden jolt in his hand, and Merlin cast an annoyed glance down at the glass capsule. The two green orbs trapped inside aggressively pounded against the right side of the jar, and he could feel the cold temperature they radiated against his fingers through the glass. Neela had suggested that they capture a few of the orbs to bring back to Gaius for further analyzation, and they'd finally managed to trap the angry green balls after multiple frustrating attempts. The longer Merlin watched the orbs, the more anger he felt towards whomever had created these dreadful objects that had nearly wiped out an entire village. Merlin was so lost in his vengeful thoughts that he was startled by Neela's voice when she spoke again.

"I…when I came to Camelot I hadn't really been sure if I'd be able to find a cure for the sickness," she said with downcast eyes as she studied her bloodied hands. Merlin moved closer to her as they walked, and all angry thoughts of orbs were quickly forgotten. They walked shoulder to shoulder, and Merlin's head was tilted towards hers as he intently watched Neela's face. This was new, this unprovoked sharing of feelings, and he was determined not to miss a single word of her quiet speech.

"I knew Camelot was the best place to go to find a skilled physician," Neela continued, "but I still didn't really plan on being successful in my mission to save Largon. I…I was prepared to come back to a deserted town with only an incapable physician to comfort me as I faced a life of complete loneliness." Neela glanced up at him, her eyes dry but full of strong emotion, and Merlin unflinchingly held her gaze. He wasn't sure when they'd stopped walking, but they now stood toe to toe now in the deserted field. "Fate was on my side when Arthur sent you to save us, Merlin," she told him seriously. Never before had he so desperately wanted to hug someone. He knew he'd probably end up with two broken arms if he tried, but the urge to pull her close only increased as her words sunk in. Neela, the same girl who'd spent years blaming him for the slaughter of her family, was now commending him for saving her community. Nothing he did could ever really make up for her loss, but she wanted him to know that he'd made her life enjoyable once again. Neela was forgiving him.

"Fate was on my side as well," he told her honestly. He wanted her to know how much her words meant to him—how much being able to help her save the people of Largon had meant to him. In other words, Merlin wanted to hug her. He supposed a vocalized speech would have to suffice. "I thought I would just travel with you, save everyone in an hour, and then leave. But what I've experienced has been so much more than I ever could have imagined. You've shown me that the world is a much darker place than I'd thought, but that I can use my gifts to make it a brighter one as well. I'm a changed man, and I have you to thank for that," he finished. To his surprise and delight, Neela wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you, Merlin. For everything," she said softly, and it took longer than it should have for her words to register in his brain. His heart was pounding and he was sure his breaths were embarrassingly short, but he couldn't help it. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried to focus on the topic at hand, the infatuation was not going to loosen its grip.

"My pleasure," he stuttered after a pause, and Neela gave his shoulders a squeeze before she pulled away from him. Merlin desperately hoped she wouldn't point out the bright red color that now flushed his cheeks. Luckily, before Neela could voice any mocking comments, a middle-aged woman hurried towards them form one of the many cottages lining the main road.

"There you are! Fabina's had me searching the whole village for you two," the woman huffed. "I'm Fabina, by the way," she added for Merlin's benefit, and her brown eyes shone as she smiled kindly at him. She pulled them both into a warm embrace, and Merlin let out a startled laugh as this woman he'd never even seen before hugged him as if he were her most cherished son.

"We're putting together a feast in your honor," Fabina explained when she released them from her warm yet surprisingly strong grip, and Merlin wasn't sure how to respond. He knew he was supposed to humbly decline the offer, but how often did servants of the king have feasts thrown in their honor?

"That really isn't necessary, Fabina," Neela told the woman, but Merlin could tell by her tone that she was just as excited about the prospect of a feast as he was. "You all should be resting to help the healing process, not singing and dancing," Neela continued.

"Nonsense!" Fabina cried with a dismissive wave of her hand. "If there's anything this illness has taught us, it's that death can sneak up at you in the most unexpected moments. We must live life to the fullest, Neela—none of us knows when it might suddenly come to an end," she reasoned. "Besides, I've heard from quite a few people that they feel as if they were never even ill at all," she added. "We're going to have a feast for the two of you, whether you like it or not," she finished.

"Alright, have it your way," Neela sighed, and Merlin smiled as he picked up on the clear excitement in her voice. Fabina rolled her eyes with an amused smile, and she winked at Merlin before she turned away from them and made her way down the road. There were quite a few people out and about now, and the town that had been so close to the brink of death suddenly sprang back to life before Merlin's eyes. He watched women in a building that had once housed sick children knead piles of dough, and he heard Neela laugh as they watched Fabina boss around a big burly man holding a meat cleaver.

"We did it," he heard her sigh happily, and Merlin glanced over to see tears streaming down her face as she watched her village return to normal. Neela hadn't grown up here, she hadn't known these people all her life, and she wasn't even related to a single person in this village. But this was her home, this was her family, and the knowledge that Merlin had helped her save it from annihilation made him feel more accomplished than anything else ever could have.

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**A/N: I know this chapter sounds like it would make a nice conclusion, but the story's not over yet folks! I mean we still haven't solved the mystery of those pesky green orbs! There are still three or four chapters left, and then a sequel with all your favorite characters from Camelot (yes, the sequel takes place in Camelot) and a new character (because who doesn't love OCs?) So fear not dear readers! There is more to come!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So, in this chapter we get to meet Neela's lovely adopted family, and there's even a hint of hungover!Merlin; excited yet? :)**

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Merlin groaned heavily as he rolled onto his side, and he draped his arm over his face to block out the early-morning light that streamed in from a nearby window. His stiff muscles ached as he shifted his weight, and he let out another grunt of displeasure as the slight movement sound sent his head pounding. He'd always mocked Arthur for his disgruntled grumpiness after a night of celebration, but Merlin could now whole-heartedly empathize with the post-ale headaches Arthur always complained about. Perhaps he shouldn't have accepted that challenge proposed by Neela's adopted brother Yoland; in retrospect, agreeing to gulp down an entire pitcher of ale had not been a wise choice.

He let out a heavy sigh as the sounds of the farm house greeting the morning rang in his ears—beds creaking, animals stirring outside, a fire kindling in the kitchen. Neela's family had allowed him into their home after a night of dancing, feasting, and—especially in Merlin's case— drinking, and they had even provided him with their warmest blanket to snuggle into on a padded layer of hay. He wished he could remain wrapped in the fabric's warmth forever, but he figured his hosts might be a little offended if he slept the day away.

Merlin sat up slowly in an attempt to not to worsen his headache, and he blearily took in his surroundings from his position on the on the main room's dirt floor. Although he hated to admit it, Merlin could remember very little of the previous night, other than the fact that he'd had the most fun he could ever remember having. There were bits and pieces—Neela's eyes shining bright in the firelight, her dress flying around her as she spun in circles with her head thrown back to look at the stars, and her hands clasped in his as she'd pulled him into the circle of cheering villagers for a dance held in their honor. But the last memory he had was Neela's eldest and by far largest adopted brother, Earnshaw, hefting Merlin over his shoulder and assuring him that he'd have a place to rest his head.

The house, he realized, was one rather large room, and he supposed Neela's family must've been rather well off in comparison to the rest of the town. The house was divided into sections by the beams that held up the roof as well as a series of cloth curtains draped from various twine strings. He was currently seated in the house's center area, still cocooned in his blanket as he watched Neela's mother bustle around the kitchen a few feet away. The table was only a yard away from Merlin, and he quickly untangled himself and stumbled to his feet as he realized his sloth could easily be taken as rudeness.

They seemed to be the house's only current inhabitants, as one of the curtains had been pushed aside to reveal three empty cots, and Merlin did his best to pat down his hair as he pulled on his shoes and approached Neela's mother. Reena looked up at him with a friendly smile, the skin wrinkling around her kind brown eyes as she hefted an iron pot of water onto the fire.

"Here, let me help," he offered, but she emphatically shook her head as she straightened back up and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Oh no, Merlin, you're our honored guest! Just sit down and make yourself comfortable," she told him with a gesture towards the table surrounded by chairs. He stood motionless for a moment, not sure if he should give into her demands or offer to help again, when he heard someone enter from the back door.

"Here's the freshest milk, Mama," a small voice called from his left, and Merlin turned to see Kimble, Neela's youngest brother, enter with a sloshing bucket of white liquid. Merlin smiled at the boy, and Kimble grinned back with a smile missing three or four teeth as he shook back the mop of dark curls that fell into his eyes.

"Did you sleep well?" Kimble asked him, hurrying over to Merlin's side after he handed the bucket over to his mother, and Merlin's smile widened. Kimble had been his shadow the night before at the feast, and the boy had enthusiastically told Merlin that he wanted to be exactly like him when he grew up. That had greatly warmed his heart, and as Merlin squatted down before the grinning boy all he could think about was how Neela was the real hero. She'd been the one to summon him from Camelot and devise a plan for healing the people of Largon, and yet as the 'physician' he was the one given the most credit for the town's recovery. He'd spent the past few years having his life-saving achievements go unrecognized, but now that he was getting some recognition he realized the admiration was bitter-sweet.

"I slept very well," Merlin told him when he realized he hadn't answered the boy's question, and Kimble gave a little bounce of excitement.

"I made sure Mama gave you our very best blanket," he told him, and Merlin gave his curls an affectionate ruffle.

"That's very kind of you, Kimble; thank you," he said, and Kimble beamed.

"Ah, Earnshaw, I've found the slumbering maiden—it appears she's finally woken from her great sleep," a voice called from behind him, and Merlin straightened to see Yoland enter with an armful of dried meat. His wild curls flopped into his eyes just like his younger brother's, and his lanky arms strained to hold onto the bundle of jerky.

"Slumbering maiden?" Merlin asked with a grin as he came forward to help Yoland carry the load, and the other boy stared at him with a look of mock confusion. His long nose and smattering of freckles made for a quite comical expression, and Merlin couldn't help but giggle.

"Why yes, milady. The rest of us have been up since dawn and where have you been? Drooling all over my favorite quilt in the most unladylike manner," Yoland huffed as they placed the meat on the table in the spot designated by Reena. He stretched his arms above his head with a dramatic yawn, and Merlin laughed as Kimble and Reena both rolled their eyes.

"Don't worry, Yoland," Merlin heard Neela call from the doorway. "Next time you save the entire town from a terrible sickness, we'll be sure not to let you sleep in." They all laughed at that, including Yoland, as Neela entered the room with a basket of large red tomatoes at her hip and a grin on her lips.

Earnshaw followed her into the house with a large sack over his shoulder, and although Merlin knew he should have stepped forward to help, he just continued to watch Neela. Yoland gave a dramatic roll of his eyes in Merlin's direction and muttered something about a lazy-arsed princess before he went to assist his brother.

Neela smiled warmly at Merlin as she placed the vegetables at the far end of the table, and she came over to stand beside him once she'd deposited the load.

"Papa's out getting your horse ready, but I told him you'd be staying for breakfast," she told him, but Neela didn't meet his eyes as she watched her brothers work. Earnshaw, with his broad shoulders and close-cropped hair, held a sack of oats steady for Yoland to scoop them into the cauldron of boiling water. Kimble stirred the oats with a long wooden spoon, and Reena watched her sons with a pleased smile as she supervised the entire operation.

"That, uhm, that sounds good to me," Merlin told her when she still wouldn't look at him, and he wondered if perhaps he'd done something wrong…again.

Neela refused to meet his eyes even after her father, a large mild-tempered man by the name of Jelrik, entered the house and started up a conversation with the two of them about how well Merlin and Neela's horses seemed to get along. Neela continued to avoid his gaze as they helped Kimble set the table for breakfast, and as they ate and Merlin joked around with Yoland. Even when Jelrik gave a little speech about how proud he was of his daughter, Neela's smiling eyes fell on every face but Merlin's.

This continued neglect put Merlin in a rather despondent mood as he got ready for his journey back to Camelot, and he even considered trying to convince Earnshaw to relay his goodbyes to Neela so he wouldn't have to face her himself. She clearly wanted nothing more to do with him, although he honestly hadn't a clue why, and he wanted to avoid the disappointment of her half-hearted farewell at all costs. But despite his best efforts, Merlin couldn't bring himself to leave without seeing her just one more time.

After Jelrik handed him the reigns of his horse, the now saddle fully loaded with supplies, he gave the man's hand a hearty shake and repeated the gesture with Earnshaw. Yoland gave him a back-slapping hug, and Kimble snuggled his face into Merlin's hip and pleaded with him not to go. Merlin gently patted his wild curls, and when he promised that he would one day come back to visit, Kimble beamed at him and released his tight hold on Merlin's waist.

Merlin hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and handed Yoland his reins before heading back into the main house. Reena bundled him into a hug the moment he crossed the threshold, and he gave a gasping laugh when she finally let him go and the all too important oxygen was allowed back into his lungs. It wasn't until Reena took a step back from him that he caught sight of Neela standing across the room with her back leaned against the window sill.

She still wouldn't look at him as he approached, and Merlin let out a huff of frustration as he came to a halt before her.

"Are you just going to let me leave without saying goodbye, then?" he asked with a little more harshness than he'd intended, and he felt his breath catch when her gaze finally met his. Her eyes brimmed with tears and the corners of her mouth tugged downwards, and Merlin felt a wave of guilt crash over him. He still didn't know what he'd done, but whatever it was had made Neela cry and he knew he'd never forgive himself for…whatever it was.

"I'm sorry," she told him softy, and Merlin frowned in surprised confusion. Neela was sorry? Wasn't that what he was supposed to say to her? She hadn't done anything wrong—but then again, neither had he. Merlin decided then and there that there was absolutely no chance of him ever understanding women.

"I'm making this so hard for you when I should just smile and tell you good luck. But I can't," she told him, and the strain in her voice only made him feel more confused.

"Well why can't you?" he asked, and when she stared at him with that familiar 'you're an absolute idiot' face, he knew he'd said the wrong thing. But what else was he supposed to say?

"Come with me," Merlin blurted suddenly, without thinking. But even when her eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell slightly agape in disbelief, Merlin knew that _that_ was what he was supposed to say. He didn't want to be without Neela, and although he still wasn't totally sure, he figured it was safe to say Neela didn't really want to be without him either.

"You could live with Gaius and me in our apartment," he told her, and the more Merlin talked about it the better the idea sounded to him. With her skills, Neela could give him the proper education in magic he was going to need if he ever wanted to defeat Morgana. Gaius would be completely fine with her living with them, Merlin was sure. It was a perfect solution, and he could tell by the way Neela's tears were quickly drying that she liked the idea as well.

Neela glanced over his shoulder, and it took Merlin a moment to remember that they weren't alone in the room. Reena had been bustling around the kitchen, keeping herself busy while they'd talked, but it was clear she'd been listening in on their conversation the entire time. When she felt her adopted daughter's gaze on her, Reena looked up at Neela with a smile.

"Your father and I have only ever wanted what's best for you, dear. If you want to go back to Camelot with Merlin and live a life adventure, all I can do is require that you write back to us boring folk here in Largon once a month," she told her with a smile, and Neela laughed as she pulled her mother into a hug.

"I'll write to you once every fortnight," Neela told her mother as she held her close, and Merlin couldn't help but smile as he watched their affectionate embrace. "I'll use up all of Gaius's parchment on rambling letters to you all until he's forced to lock away his stationary with a hidden key," Neela said, and Reena laughed heartily as she held her daughter close.

"You take care of her," Reena told Merlin once she pulled away from Neela, and although her face was still spread into a smile, her voice was stern and serious.

"It's more likely that I'll be taking care of him," Neela quipped before he could answer, and Merlin laughed because she was, of course, correct.

But although Neela was by far more skilled, more knowledgeable, and more beautiful (Merlin didn't really know why that fact was relevant, but it was still true) than him, Merlin would sacrifice his life in a heartbeat if it meant keeping her safe. It wasn't his destiny to protect her, and he no longer felt like he was indebted to her because of the atrocities done to her family. It was so much more than fate or guilt—it ran through his veins, he could feel it in his bones. And although he would probably never admit it aloud, Merlin was pretty sure it was love.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: the journey back to Camelot begins, and those pesky green orbs make another appearance (but not in a dangerous way, don't worry- the sickness is over!). **

**I'm actually kind of in love with Neela's family, and although I'd only planned on having them in this scene I think I'm definitely going to have to bring them back into the story eventually. They're just too lovable to go be a one-time thing in my opinion! I hope you guys liked them as much as I did :)**


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